U.S. President Donald Trump has renamed the headquarters of the decades-old peace research center, the United States Institute of Peace. According to The New York Times, Trump has modified the institution’s name by adding his own name to the front.
The White House announced that the revised name will now be “Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace.” Trump implemented the change just before hosting a signing ceremony for a peace agreement between the presidents of Rwanda and Congo.
A new sign displaying the updated name has been installed in large letters on the building’s exterior. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said the name change was intended to deliver “a powerful message about how strong leadership can achieve remarkable outcomes for global stability.”
The move is being interpreted as an attempt by Trump to position himself as an international mediator. Trump has also claimed credit for helping to end the three-decade conflict between Rwanda and Congo over the past year, and he is reportedly preparing a campaign promoting himself as a contender for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Institution’s Background and Escalating Legal Dispute
The United States Institute of Peace was constructed in 2012 with full funding from private donors. Although the institution was established by Congress and its programs have been run through federal budget support, former employees have argued that it is not part of the executive branch.
The Trump administration took control of the building last March and dismissed most of the staff, also removing the institute’s emblem. Former employees filed a lawsuit against the government, and a federal court temporarily returned control of the building to the institute, calling the administration’s action “a serious abuse of power.”
After an appeals court accepted the government’s petition, the building was handed back to the executive branch. The final verdict in the case is expected to take another year. George Foot, a former legal adviser to the institute, said the lawful owners will ultimately restore the institution to its legitimate purpose.
According to The New York Times, the institute was originally established during Ronald Reagan’s presidency, and critics argue that adding Trump’s name to such an institution is inappropriate.
Former employees are preparing to protest during Thursday’s peace agreement signing ceremony, accusing the administration of “seizing” the building. Until the final court decision is issued, the building and the institution are expected to remain the focus of ongoing controversy.
